Serve up this Platinum pudding fit for a Queen by Susie Carter over the Jubilee bank holiday

Queen of Puddings was a popular dessert when Her Majesty ascended the throne in 1953, and a worthy use of the weekly egg ration. To celebrate the Platinum Jubilee and reflect our current era of abundance, I’ve added a few extra luxuries, including swapping the usual breadcrumbs with cubes of fruited bread. If there are jam-makers in the family, this pudding is a great showcase for their skills, or treat yourself to a jar from one of Hampshire’s great producers

Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients

4 medium eggs - 1 whole, 3 separated into yolks and whites

200ml whole milk

200ml double cream

2 tbsp Hampshire honey

2 tbsp whisky (optional)

250g fruited buns or bread (eg. currant buns, lardy cake, teacakes)

200g jam (something a little sour to balance the sweet)

200g caster sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C (130° fan) / 300F / gas 2.

2. Whisk the whole egg and the three egg yolks with the milk, cream, honey and whisky (if using) until smooth.

3. Cut the bread or buns into cubes and stir them into the custard mixture until well coated. Scrape everything into a baking dish and level the top.

4. Put the baking dish in a deep roasting tin and pour enough boiling water into the tin to come 5cm / 2 inches up the side of the dish.

5. Bake for 40 minutes or until only just set in the centre (internal temperature 71C / 160F). Remove from the oven and discard the roasting tin and water.

6. Spread the jam over the pudding in an even layer (you can warm it a little if it’s too thick to spread).

7. Whip the egg whites in a very clean bowl with an electric whisk until they form stiff peaks. Gradually incorporate the sugar a tablespoon at a time and continue to whip until very stiff and glossy. The meringue can simply be spooned on top of the pudding, or you can add some piped decorations.

8. Bake the pudding for 25 minutes or until the meringue is crisp all over. Serve hot, warm or chilled with pouring cream and a little fresh fruit to match your chosen jam flavour.

By royal design
To make the Union Flag design, divide the meringue between three bowls. Carefully fold a few drops of red food colouring into one and a few drops of blue into another. Transfer the red, white and blue meringues to separate piping bags, fitted with plain nozzles and paint the inside of the nozzles with a little food colouring too. Start by piping the red cross in the centre of the pudding and edge with a border of white. Add the red diagonal lines and border with white again before filling in the eight remaining triangles with blue.